The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-05-28
DOMESTIC ECONOMY,
A Budget of Useful Information Upon
Household and Agricultural
Topics.
Matters of Interest Relating to Farm,
Orchard, Stable, Parlor, and
Kitchen.
THE FARMER.
SHI6U ptotFs

Sulky Ptoes
The sulky or riding pillow, on which the
plowman is carried around the field while
the work is done, revolutioniZes all the old
ideas about blowing. 1t used 10 be thought
that such plows were necessarily of heavier
draught, and on billy land probably they
are. But with tolerably level surface
riding pillow is really easier draught than
one of the old fashioned sort, as it's
weight is sustained and drawn on wheels.
Many who use 1t claim that the wheel
pillow Is enough lighter draught to COM
pensate for the weight of the driver or
plowman. Still we do not often see sulky
plows drawn by two horses, nor is it good
economy to work with less than three good
horses on any kind of pillow.
Uarnath oJ Drained soil
The curious paradox is presented in
under draining land that freezes more
deeply in winter, but so soon as spring
comes it rapidly grows warmer than land
not drained. There are much greater ex-
tremes of temperature, and both heat and
cold favor the dIslntegratlon OF the soil aud
the development of plant food. In we'll
drained land there is no surplus of water
beyond what the soil Will naturally retain.
Its freezing, therefore, does make the solid
stratum of ice, and when II thaws the water
percolatlng TO the tiles Is followed by air
which in spring is always warmer than the
soil. At night when the surface freezes
the expansion of the soil expels the air,
which il replaced on the morrow when the
sun is shining brightly. Stagnant water in
the soil prevents the circulation of air, and
thus keeps down the temperature until the
water is gradually dried out by the heat of
summer.
far Structures
A correspondent of the London Garden
writes; l observe that Mr.. Peter Hender-
son recommends whitehead and sand as
substitute for ordinary paints. | have
never used the mixture, but at one time we
used n considerable quantity of what We
termed sand paint. This was made with
whitening and white led in equal parts,
with about fourth of the whole of silver
sad. Sufficient oil was added to render it
workable, and this was laid on as thickly as
possible. When it dried, ii felt hard and
gritty-.lmost like stone; and my expert
enee is that it is the most durable and i'm
pervIoss 10 weather of any paint | have
ever employed. About fifteen wears ago
We painted the end of a building with it,
and | noticed the other day that, although
no paint of any kind had been applied
since, there is still fair coat on the walls.
Two or three coats of this sand paint would
render boards quite lmpervlous to weather
influences for years. White lead is apt to
peel off after time, but this paint does
not do so. 1t forms a solid body that
nothing but the weather wear of many
years can affect. Another way that we
have employed is to lay on the paint first,
and then, before it commences to dry,
sprinkle sand thickly over it. This gives
it a rather rough, stone-like appearance,
H1hl IN, OF I1tr lC
EnE,rsg tie0t CheapiB.
The time has passed when cheap meat
production viii be mainly due, as it has
been, to cheap lands and food that costs
little or nothing. 1t is likely that in a long
series Of years all kinds of meat will be
dearer than they have been. If feeders
gain it viii be due less to natural advant-
ages for which they are not responsible
than to their own skill and good manage
ment There is yet an immense deal to
learn, as is shown at all fat-stock exhibit
tons. The animals that take the prizes as
live stock do not have the largest proper
ton of good meat when dressed. In every
case there IS too much waste in the extra
fat that has TO be cut off and thrown away
or converted to some secondary use. One
fact Is pretty plain III any estimate of the
cost of making beef. The gain from ami
mails while gong on Is put on at least eX-
pense per pound, and contains the largest
proportion of salable meat. In close
summary of the results of several live
stock shows, it was found that the gain of
an average l-year- old animal cost 404
cents per pound. From birth up to years
ola the gain cost 800 cents, while if feed
ing is continued up to years old the en-
tire gain from birth costs 40 cents per
pound. 1t is certain that in the great ma
iority of cases feeding is continued long
after it ceased to pay. For all stock not
intended for breeding the best feed should
be given from birth up, and the animal
never be allowed to get too poor TO butcher.
But while very young the best food is that
which promotes growth of frame rather
than laying on of fat. A young animal
thus fed will always have due proportion
of lean meat, sweet and Juicy.